Choke Canyon


Choke Canyon is a 1986 movie starring Stephen Collins as a "cowboy scientist" trying to develop an alternative energy source. It was filmed mostly in the vicinity of Moab, Utah.

Plot

educated Dr. David Lowell's research is carried out in the canyon country of southern Utah and must be conducted at the same time Halley's Comet is passing over the earth. Lowell is trying to find a safe, cheap energy source. Lowell leased the land from the Pilgrim Corporation. However, the Pilgrim Corporation decides the same canyon would be better used as a remote place to illegally dump nuclear waste. Pilgrim's CEO arranges for Lowell to be thrown off his land and destroys his laboratory. Lowell spends the rest of the film committing sabotage against the company and trying to recover his land, assisted by the daughter of Pilgrim's CEO as well as unlikely help from a hit-man sympathetic to Lowell's cause. Brook Alistair, hired by the Pilgrim Corporation attempts to stop Lowell.

Production

Parts of the film were shot at Onion Creek, Professor Valley, the Moab Sand Flats, Dead Horse Point, Byrd's Ranch, Squaw Park, and Moab in Utah.

Release

Release of the film was delayed so it would coincide with the passing of Halley's Comet over the earth in 1986.

Soundtrack

The Mike + The Mechanics song "Silent Running" was chosen to appear in Choke Canyon because its atmosphere suited the film's tone. For promotional reasons, the song's title was extended to "Silent Running ", even though the lyrics have no connection to the film. The promotional video for the song features a few clips from the film, but primarily follows the story of the lyrics, which are about an astronaut trying to send a message to the past in order to warn his family of an imminent societal breakdown.

Reception

gave the movie two out of five stars, finding the film fun as it doesn't take itself too seriously, but found the directing to be somewhat lacking. Creature Feature gave the movie 3 out of 5 stars, saying that it was a rousing adventure, although light on science fiction content. It also found the aerial scenes to be well done, liked the direction of the movie more than TV Guide, but the logic of the movie was questioned.